The San Francisco Human Rights Commission is investigating
the use of an anti-gay slur by the employee of a live poultry market.

An animal advocacy group founded by a gay man has been
working to draw attention to the market.

Andrew Zollman, founder of LGBT Compassion, said the
incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, August 1 at the poultry market.
The stand is one of many operations that frequently set up shop in United
Nations Plaza. The market's name is Raymond Young's Live Poultry, according to
Zollman.

He said that he and others have been going to Young's
poultry market since March to protest animal abuse and other alleged rule
violations. He said problems include market employees taking food stamp tokens
in exchange for live animals, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn't
allow. USDA rules prohibit trading food stamps – now known as
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits – for live animals.

He said on the day the incident occurred, a market employee
had been threatening group members, "getting in our faces," and
telling them to go away.

Zollman, 43, said a volunteer had told the market employee
to stop yelling at Zollman, who was filming activities at the market, so the
employee started yelling at the other volunteer.

In the video of the incident, a woman working at the market,
who Zollman identified as Tina Young, approached and said, "They're gay
anyways ... They probably have the HVI [sic]."

The LGBT group and the poultry market have a history of
exchanging accusations. According to Zollman, recent actions include him
pressing charges of physical assault that were eventually thrown out by the
district attorney's office.

Assistant District Attorney Seth Steward, a spokesman for
the office, couldn't confirm that.

Zollman also pointed to an attempt by market worker
Christina Ly to get a restraining order against another activist. Court records
indicate the request was denied without prejudice.

The incident this month marked the first time Zollman said
he'd heard anti-gay remarks made at the market.

Regarding the food stamp allegations, according to the USDA,
San Francisco County officials visited the market twice, investigated the
situation, and corrected the practice. Eileen Shields, a spokeswoman for San
Francisco's health department, couldn't provide information Tuesday, August 17
regarding the poultry market.

Ly, who denied violating any government rules, was working
at the market on Sunday morning, August 15, but Young wasn't. Ly, who has seen
the video on YouTube, said Young is pregnant and attributed the anti-gay
remarks to Young's hormones.

"To me, it was a prejudiced thing to say," said
Ly. "I told her not to say it anymore." She indicated Young is taking
at least a temporary leave from the market because of her pregnancy, and
because she's going to school.

Ly also said Young had told her she'd been called a
"dumb Asian." She didn't specify when that had happened. Zollman
denied the claim.

Zollman said this week that he's in the process of filing a
complaint with the city's Human Rights Commission over the anti-gay slur.

Theresa Sparks, executive director of the commission, said
last week that a complaint had been filed and her agency is investigating.

"We've just initiated it, and I really can't give you
any information at this point, because it's confidential, now that we're
investigating it," Sparks said. She said the investigation would take at
least a couple of weeks.

Sparks is also running for supervisor in District 6, which
includes the UN Plaza area.

James Keys, another candidate for
D6 supervisor and a person living with AIDS, said, "To actually say that a
person has HIV or AIDS because they're gay is another stereotype, and to damn
somebody like that. ... I really wouldn't wish HIV or AIDS on another
person," although he said having AIDS has "helped me to become a
stronger person."

Keys, who said he hadn't heard
about the slur, said he hopes the incident marks an opening for a dialogue
between the two sides.

Current District 6 Supervisor
Chris Daly did not respond to a request for comment.

Sparks said if the commission finds there has been
discrimination, they can forward the case to the Board of Supervisors and the
mayor's office. She said discrimination would be a violation of any contract
with the city, and the contract could be suspended or vacated entirely. She
said she didn't know who the market has a contract with, and whether they have
a direct contract with the city or they have an intermediary contract.

She also said that as director of the HRC, as a candidate
for supervisor, and as a citizen of San Francisco, "We cannot and will not
tolerate discrimination, period, and that goes for everybody in District 6, and
that goes for everybody else in the city."

Sparks said although she has seen the video, "right
now, [the case involves] an allegation."

Asked about her reaction to seeing the video, Sparks said,
"I really felt sorry for the chickens."